The Houston Cougars take on the Baylor Bears in Waco, TX. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Houston is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -205. The total is set at 130.5 points.
Here are my Houston vs. Baylor predictions and college basketball picks for March 8, 2025.
Houston Cougars vs Baylor Bears Prediction, Picks
- Pick: Baylor +7.5 (Play to +4.5)
My Baylor vs. Houston best bet is on the Bears to cover the spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Houston vs Baylor Odds, Spread, Lines
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- Houston vs Baylor spread: Houston -3.5
- Houston vs Baylor over/under: 130.5 Points
- Houston vs Baylor moneyline: Houston ML -190, Baylor ML +154
Spread
My best bet on this game is for Baylor to cover the spread.
Moneyline
I’m betting the Bears to cover the spread, and I may sprinkle the moneyline as well.
Over/Under
I don’t have a pick on the total in this game.
My Pick: Baylor +7.5 (Play to +4.5)
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[howtowatch gameid=”240986″ date=”20250309″][/howtowatch]
Houston vs Baylor NCAAB Preview
On Saturday night, the Houston Cougars and the Baylor Bears will clash from Waco, Texas. Tonight will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams after Houston won the first matchup, 76-65.
Baylor hasn’t beaten Houston since 2021 when the two teams clashed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Cougars come into this contest with a record of 26-4 and a ranking of third in the nation.
Houston will play for a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance over the next week. The Cougars have the fourth-best odds of winning the National Championship (+850).
Head coach Kelvin Sampson is still trying to reach the pinnacle after leading the Cougars to six consecutive March Madness appearances. Houston has reached the Final Four six times in program history — the most appearances for a team without a national title.
Things could be coming to a head, though, with Sampson’s team earning its second straight Big 12 regular-season title with a conference record of 18-1.
Baylor transfer L.J. Cryer leads the team with 15.0 points per game, while Emanuel Sharp has enjoyed a strong season with 11.8 and 3.0 rebounds per game. Senior J’Wan Roberts has added 11.1 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds.
On the other side, Baylor enters the game unranked with a record of 18-12.
The Bears desperately need a win on their home floor tonight. Head coach Scott Drew’s team is on the bubble right now, but a win tonight could earn them an at-large bid.
Baylor has been outstanding playing at home this year, with a home record of 13-2 compared to 3-9 on the road.
The Bears have won back-to-back games over Oklahoma State and TCU, but the most notable win of the season for Baylor came over St. John’s on Nov. 21.
Miami transfer Norchad Omier leads the team with 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, while freshman VJ Edgecombe has averaged 14.7 points and 5.4 boards. Robert Wright III has added 12.0 points and 4.5 assists.
With Baylor’s recent run, we’ll trust the home team to stay within the number tonight. I anticipate a close back-and-forth contest that favors the underdog.
The Bears have been a completely different team playing in Waco this year, with a 13-2 SU record on their home floor.
Baylor has enough offensive firepower to compete and keep this game competitive. I will also sprinkle Baylor on the moneyline, as it should have a chance to win outright.
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